1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to image reading apparatuses, and more particularly, to an image reading apparatus such as a digital copying apparatus, which once stores read image data in a memory, and then provides the image data therefrom.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a conventional digital copying apparatus with either a fixed platen glass or a mobile platen glass, the reading direction of a scanner with respect to an original, that is, the subscanning direction is always constant.
In such a conventional digital apparatus of, for example, a mobile scanner type, the subscanning direction is always constant with respect to the original. The scanner must carry out the return operation of once returning to its home position after reading out the original. Therefore, a motor driving the scanner whenever the scanner reads out the original is wastefully driven, which causes a temperature rise and an increase of power consumption. The return operation also increases a scanning time of the scanner required for one reading.